Journal box dust guard, dust guard casing, and closure



J. D. BIGELOW Oct. 24, 1939.

JOURNAL BOX DUST GUARD, DUST GUARD CASING, AND CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 13, 1937 INVENTOR. 0mm) 5) a) e/eow,

. ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1939. J. D. BIGELOW JOURNAL BOX DUST GUARD, DUSTGUARD CASING, AND CLOSURE Filed Oct. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllll lllvll ll Illllll INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOURNAL BOX DUSTGUARD, DUST GUARD CASING, AND CLOSURE 4 Claims.

viding expanding spring-actuated dust guard inserts which willpositively seal the front and rear axle openings of the journal box dustguard well by forming a sliding contact between the dust guard insertsand adjacent casings or machined inside walls of the dust guard well.This capability, of expansion of the dust guard inserts permits saidinserts to move with the axle so as to maintain said members on theneutral center of the axle, thus eliminating the wear which ordinarilyoccurs at the top side of axle fit of dust guards of the conventionaltype.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing an expandingsealcomprising springpressed dust guard inserts which will effectuallyprevent the escape of oil from the journal box into the well and theadmission of dust, grit and other foreign matter into the well andthence into the journal box. 7

Still another feature of the invention consists in providing a seal orclosure of the character described which is adaptable for use inconnection with journal box wells having either rough or smoothlyfinished or machined surfaces.

Still another feature of the invention consists in providing a closurefor the top of the journal box dust guard well which is simple ofconstruction and adapted to be readily applied in position, which willpositively. seal the top opening of the journal box dust guard well andwhich when secured in place will be held securely in position againstany possibility of being dislodged as is commonly the case in the use ofjournal box well top closures of conventional type.

The full nature of the invention will be more fullyunderstood andappreciated from the accompanying drawings and the following descriptionand claims, in which drawings:

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-section through a journal boxshowing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing still another modified formof the invention.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-section on the line 66 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 7 is a vertical iront-to-rear section on the line i-| of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing still v another modified formof the invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing an alternative way of bending theends of the closure plate.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,illustrating one type 01' seal embodying my invention, l designates ajournal box of standard type, which is designed to receive the end ofthe axle 2, the axle having the usual journal portion 3 and the shoulderportion 4. which latter extends through the axle receiving openingformed in the dust guard well portion 5 of the box. This well portion 5may be that of ordinary type except that the inner surfaces of its inneror front and outer or rear walls 6 and 'l are cast smooth are machinedto a smooth finish.

The oil and dust guard seal employed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises acasing which is of sectional construction and consists of members 8 and9 forming liners for the inner faces and sides of the walls of the well.This casing accordingly surrounds the bottom and sides of the portion ofthe axle dust guard seat within the axle receiving opening and may becoextensive in depth with the well so as to extend vertically frombottom to top of the well. The meeting edges of these liner or casingsections are provided with flanges or lips Ill by which a closed jointis formed between the assenibled casing sections the full extent of thebottom and sides thereof. These casing sections are provided withlooking lugs Ii adapted to be bent around the upper edges of the lowerportions and dies of the walls of the well to hold their casing linersections in position. At their upper edges the casing or liner sectionsare bent outwardly, as at l2, over the upper edges of the top portionsof the walls at the normally open top of the well and then rebentinwardly, as at l3, thereby providing guideways to receive a closureplate ll. The closure plate II is adapted to be slidably insertedlongitudinally into the guideways to close the top of the liner casing,and thereby the normally open top of the well against the access ofdust, grit and other foreign materials. The closure plate is made ofsuch length that after being fitted in position its ends may be bentupwardly to form locking members or stops IE to prevent any possibilityof dislodgement of the closure plate in service. However, either or bothends of the plate may be bent downwardly and into engagement with theside walls of the journal box to form stops or looking members ifdesired.

Front and rear sealing members or inserts l8 and II are arranged withinthe well and fitted between the casing sectionsB and 9. These sealingmembers are in the form of plates or disks surrounding the bottom andsides of the axle and are provided with openings for the passage of theaxle therethrough, the opening in the sealing member It being preferablyof somewhat greater diameter than the axle to receive a bushingprojection extending from the sealing member I1, as hereinafterdescribed. The upper portions of these sealing members terminate belowthe top of the well and conform to the general conformation of this partof the well. Interposed between the sealing members It and H at bottom,top and sides are springs l8 of bowed ribbon spring type which operateto hold the sealing members normally spread into engagement with thewalls of the casing sections 8 and 9. The sealing members are free tomove vertically or laterally within the casing thus compensating for thevertical or lateral movement of the axle with relation to the journalbox.

The sealing members may be made of any suitable strong and durablematerial and close the well securely against the escape of oil from thejournal box and against the entrance of dust, grit and other foreignmatter into the well and thence into the journal box. They are, asstated, normally pressed apart and against the sides of their enclosingcasing by the action of the spring, but are permitted by the springs tohave movement relative to each other to compensate for expansion andcontraction and to have sliding contact movement with the axle journalin the endwise movements of the latter. By this means the sealingmembers will be maintained on the neutral center of the axle, thuseliminating the excessive wear which occurs at the points of contactbetween the sealing members and the axle in dust guards of theconventional type. It will be observed that the sectional constructionof the casing is such that when the fastenings H are free fromengagement with the journal box, said casing sections may be pressedtogether for contraction of the casing to permit of the ready and freeintroduction of the casing to or its removal from the well in initiallyapplying the seal or in removing the same for repairs or replacement ofworn parts. In this action the springs between the sealing members allowsaid members to contract or to be pressed together, the springsoperating on the introduction of the assembled parts of the seal andtheir introduction to expand or spread the same to working position. Thedescribed construction of the sectional casing and the seals adaptsthese elements to be assembled in unitary form for simultaneousintroduction into the well, thus facilitating and rendering easier theapplication of the seal to the well, as will be readily understood. Thesealing member I! is preferably provided with a sealing flange orprojection I9 projecting forwardly and laterally therefrom as a bushinginto the space between the wall of the opening in the member l6 and thesurface of the axle. This bushing member lies in bearing contact withthe axle and provides an elongated extent of sealing surface preventingleakage of oil or entrance of foreign matter at this point.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified construction in which the sealingmembers Mia and Ila at the points of application of the springs areprovidy with openings to receive separate and independent cup members 8aand 9a to receive the springs l8a which in this instance-are of coiledspring type. These springs i8a may vary in position as occasion mayrequire and when desired may be substituted for the plate or ribbonsprings [8.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have shown a modified construction which dispenseswith the use of a casing for the sealing members, and.in which the.

construction is otherwise modified. In the construction the sealingmembers i6b and Nb are normally held spaced by ribbon springs I 8 suchas used in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but the openingsprovided in said sealing members for the passage of the axle are made ofsumciently large diameter to permit of the introduction between the sameandthe axle of a bushing ring 20 which engages the axle and sustains thewear of the bearing contact therewith. This bushing member is providedwith a radially extending' flange or projection 2i lying between thesealing members i6b and llb and normally in contact with the sealingmember Nb and out of contact with the sealing member [6b. Thisconstruction allows the bushing to shift longitudinally with the bearingand to permit limited shifting movements of the sealing members, andalso allows a suflicient range of movement of the sealing membersrelative to each other to adapt the sealing unit, thus formed to becontracted for introduction into and removal from the dust guard well.This construction may be employed with efficiency where the walls of thedust guard well are properly machined to accurately receive the partsand to permit of their intended movements. In this construction I haveshown a modified type of means for closing the top opening of the well,the same comprising asheet metal guard cap 22 adapted to fit down overthe top of the well and having inturned flanges 23 for lockingengagement'with grooves 24 formed in the outer sides of the well wall,the spring metal of which cap as made providing for a secure lockingconnection.

same construction asthe sealing members i6 and l1 shown in Figs. 1, 2and 3, said members lie and He lying, however, in direct contact withthe walls of the well. The construction of the modified forms of theinvention shown in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description.

It will be seen that my invention provides a simple and comparativelyinexpensive construction of combined dust guard and oil seal whicheliminates oil leakage and waste and at the same time guards the bearingsurfaces against the entrance of dust, gritand other foreign material.The invention also provides a seal of unitary type or in which themembers may be simultaneously introduced into or removed from the dustguard well, thus saving time and labor in fitting a journal boxtherewith, or in making repairs or replacements of parts of the sealwhen occasion requires. The construction of the seal,

furthermore. provides for removal 0! the sealpermming t vertically orlaterally of partswiththeaxlesoastomaintainthesealingpointontheneutralcenterottheaxle,andsoastoreducewearuponthepartsoithesealtoa 5 material degree.Myimprovedsealmaybeapexemplification are preierred it will be understoodthat changes in the form, construction andarrangementotthepartsotherthanthoseshown may be made within the scope oftheappended claims, without departing from the principle or asacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

WhatIclaim is: LAsealiorthedustguardwellsoiiourrial bearings comprisinga collapsible and expansible casing iormed of interengaging sectionsfitting in positesidesoisaidsealingmembersandatthe the well, spacedrelatively movable sealing members insaid casing and respectivelybearing on the sections thereof, and bowed ribbon springs disposedbetween the sealing members at the op-.

top and bottom oi said sealing members adjacent to and on each side oithe vertical center thereof, said springs yieldingly holding saidsealing membersin normally spaced relationship therethrpugh holding thecasing sections spread and the sealing members with the Journal.

2.Asealior thedustguardwallsoi journal bearings comprising a casingformed of interen- Basins sections fitting in the well, spaced sealingmembers in said casing, said members being provided with seat openingstherein, cups filling said openings, and springs seated in said cups anddisposed between the sealing members for yieldingly holding said sealingmembers in normally spaced relationship and permitting movementvertically or laterally oi the seallngmembers with the journal.

3. In a sealing means for dust guard wells of an axle journal .box, anexpansible and contractible casing adapted to be mounted in the well'and having an open top at the top of the well. front and rear relativelymovable sealing inserts mounted in said casing, resilient means betweensaid inserts normally holding the inserts and therethrough the casingsections spread and adapted to permit relative movement of said casingsections, and a detachable closure for the top of the casing with meansfor locking the same against casual displacement.

4. In a sealing means for the dust guard well oi an axle journal box,sealing means, and a casing for the sealing means comprising membersprovided with inturned L-shaped fianged portions on the sides and alongthe bottom to form a stop when the sections are spread and to provide aJoint to allow said casing members to contract ior application to andremoval from the journal box well.

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